Electronic binary files exist in many different formats for many different uses. These formats include formats suitable for storage of image, sound, text, data, executable files and so on.
Electronic binary audio and video files are available in several different data formats. Some use lossless compression such as WAV and AVI. Others that use lossey compression include MP2, MP3 and others.
These data formats are suited to being played on remote devices such as personal computers, portable devices and other hardware. Data files are able to be transmitted over the internet or other data network to be accessed, stored or played at a later time or date. Some of the formats are able to be transmitted in a way that enables part of the data file to be played or accessed on the remote device while the remainder or at least a further portion of the data file is transmitted to the remote device. This latter method of transmission is known as streaming.
Traditionally, electronic binary files used for streaming audio or video use high levels of lossey compression to reduce the size of the files transmitted over the data network. This high level of lossey compression delivers a severe drop in the quality of the audio or video being delivered. In the case of video, quality drop is not as apparent on portable devices as the playback screens are so small. Less data needs to be transmitted to playback on these small screens.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved or alternative method of streaming data files including binary audio and video files, or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.